For members of the seventeenth-century

[ritika_karki]

For members of the seventeenth-century Ashanti
nation in Africa, animal-hide shields with wooden
frames were essential items of military equipment,
a method to protect warriors against enemy arrows
and spears.
(A) a method to protect
(B) as a method protecting
(C) protecting
(D) as a protection of
(E) to protect

Why is the correct answer not E ?
( Correct answer is C )

[tim]

As per the forum rules, we need a verifiable source for the problem before we can deal with this question. If the question is not one of ours or one that is copyright-free, we will have to delete the question..

Before we help with this question, we need you to show some effort of your own. What did you try on this question? Where did you get stuck?

[Willy]

For members of the seventeenth-century Ashanti
nation in Africa, animal-hide shields with wooden
frames were essential items of military equipment,
a method to protect warriors against enemy arrows
and spears.
(A) a method to protect
(B) as a method protecting
(C) protecting
(D) as a protection of
(E) to protect

Why is the correct answer not E ?
( Correct answer is C )

Comma before the INFINITIVE - To Protect - is wrong. We put comma before the infinitive when we want to show the result but we don't use a comma before infinitive when we want to show the purpose.

e.g. Willy went to the movie to flirt with the cute girls. :)

Here "To flirt with the cute girls" is used as a purpose of Willy's visit, so see there is no COMMA.

And here in the above q we want to show the purpose i.e. purpose of using "animal-hide shields with wooden frames were essential items of military equipment"

In case I am wrong please correct me .

[tim]

still need a source before we can help with this one..

[Willy]

still need a source before we can help with this one..

Tim, in general, can you please comment on

We put comma before the infinitive when we want to show the result but we don't use a comma before infinitive when we want to show the purpose.

e.g. Willy went to the movie to flirt with the cute girls. :)

Here "To flirt with the cute girls" is used as a purpose of Willy's visit, so see there is no COMMA.

Is my reasoning/understanding correct or I have missed something.

[tim]

that sounds like a reasonable assessment, but i can't recall seeing any questions where the comma before infinitive is used..

[Suapplle]

Sorry to bump up the old thread,
I don't understand this problem,why can't we use an appositive,such as choice A?please clarify,thanks!

[RonPurewal]

Sorry to bump up the old thread,
I don't understand this problem,why can't we use an appositive,such as choice A?please clarify,thanks!

Choice A is nonsense, because a physical piece of equipment is not "a method".

[Khush]

Hi,

I do have a query here.

If i go by Tim's words in the below thread, "Protecting" will modify the verb "were" in the aforementioned question right?

http://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/subjunctive-verb-t7924-30.html

Tim's explanation :

"the best way to deal with adverbial modifiers is to ignore anything you've read about them referring to an entire clause, and instead look for a single word to attach it to. usually this will be a verb"...

Please let me know.

[RonPurewal]

"Modifying a verb" is, for all practical purposes, the same as modifying the entire clause (subject+action). An action isn't conceptually separable from the agent, so it really doesn't matter which way you consider it.

E.g.,
I dropped the groceries onto the floor, scaring the dogs.
--> Person #1 says that "scaring the dogs" describes "dropped (the groceries)". Person #2 says that it describes "I dropped the groceries".
Both people are essentially correct; there's little, if any, difference.

[Khush]

Thanks for explaining Ron...

Quoting your example , i would like to understand the aforementioned sentence in this thread.

You have mentioned that dropping of the groceries scared the dogs...

What is bothering me in the below sentence is that "how can being an essential item of an equipment actually protect warriors" ?

"....animal-hide shields with wooden
frames were essential items of military equipment,
protecting warriors against enemy arrows
and spears."

I thought the modifier "Protecting" is only modifying the "animal hide shields" and hence rejected choice C ..
Am i missing something here?

[RonPurewal]

"Protecting xxxx" describes why the shields were essential pieces of equipment, so it describes the preceding clause.

Comma + ___ing doesn't necessarily have to give a consequence of the preceding clause (though that is one way in which it's often used). As long as it gives some sort of description/clarification/illustration/consequence/etc. of the preceding clause, you're fine.

[Khush]

Hmm. i get it now.
time to watch your study hall sessions for v-ing.

Much appreciate your response.

Thank You Ron!

[RonPurewal]

Hmm. i get it now.
time to watch your study hall sessions for v-ing.

Much appreciate your response.

Thank You Ron!

You're welcome.

[tim]

"Modifying a verb" is, for all practical purposes, the same as modifying the entire clause (subject+action).

Ron makes a very good point here. I try to pinpoint a single word (often a verb) because that makes things make more sense to me, but if you find it easier to think of an entire clause, do that.